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@ISSUE episodes
- @ISSUE • All about April 15: a very strange day at the CapitolThe Legislature returned to Jackson last week, determined to override several of Governor Tate Reeves' vetoes. And then they didn't. Host Wilson Stribling welcomes analysts Brandon Jones and Lucien Smtih to discuss what was going on behind the scenes, who miscalculated, and what the results may mean for some of Mississippi's political leaders.
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29 min - @ISSUE • Mississippi’s Opioid Settlement Funds: How will the state spend its $400 million?Host Wilson Stribling interviews Drew Hawkins, the Gulf States Newsroom reporter who has closely covered Mississippi’s opioid addiction crisis and the state’s use of its opioid settlement funds. Analysts Brandon Jones and Lucien Smith then discuss the actions of the legislature, attorney general, and the opioid settlement advisory council as they plan how to spend the $400 million Mississippi will receive.
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29 min - @ISSUE • The 2026 Mississippi Legislative Session is over…for now.Host Wilson Stribling welcomes analysts Brandon Jones and Rebekah Staples for a look back at the recently concluded Mississippi legislative session. What were the biggest successes, failures, surprises, and lessons learned? With Republicans in control of state government, are the real battles now not between the parties, but between House and Senate, or even between the Legislative and Executive branches?
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29 min - @ISSUE • Storm Relief Veto Controversy • $7.4B State Budget • $2K Teacher Pay Raise • SHIELD Act • Pharmacy Benefit Managers • Supreme Court RedistrictingThe final week of the legislative session is upon us. Analysts Brandon Jones and Rebekah Staples join host Wilson Stribling to discuss the state’s $7.4 billion budget agreement, a smaller-than-hoped-for teacher pay raise, and the SHIELD Act, designed to ensure all voters are U.S. citizens. They also look at Governor Tate Reeves’ veto of a winter storm relief measure, and the confusion caused by a wording error in that bill.
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29 min - @ISSUE • Special Needs Education Tax Credits • PERS Changes • Jackson Water System • Medical Cannabis • Local & Private BillsAnalysts Rebekah Staples and Brandon Jones join host Wilson Stribling for a look at multiple bills, almost all of which are now in conference committees. Highlights include a proposed amendment to the Children’s Promise Act creating new tax credits for special needs education, an explanation of Local & Private bills, and a look at the Jackson water system bill, and what it might mean for other municipalities.
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29 min - @ISSUE • Competing teacher pay raise bills • MDOC controversies • House Education Chairman Rob Roberson interviewHouse Education Committee chairman Rob Roberson (R-Starkville) sits down with host Wilson Stribling to look at the competing teacher pay raise bills and reflect on a difficult 2026 session. Then, analysts Brandon Jones and Rebekah Staples discuss the House and Senate teacher bills, the likelihood of a special session, and MDOC Commissioner Burl Cain’s contentious meeting last week with the Legislative Black Caucus.
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29 min - @ISSUE • House passes teacher pay raise and changes to PERS • Senator David Blount interview
The House unanimously passed a substantial education bill Friday, raising teacher and staff pay, and making changes to the Public Employees Retirement System. Analysts Rebekah Staples and Brandon Jones join host Wilson Stribling to look at the strategies in play, and the continued friction between House and Senate leadership. Wilson also sits down with Senator David Blount (D-Jackson) to discuss this session’s political gamesmanship.
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29 min - @ISSUE • Information Technology • Artificial Intelligence • Cyber Security • Legislative Deadlines • Sen. Bradford Blackmon InterviewSenator Bradford Blackmon (D-Canton) joins host Wilson Stribling to discuss his two artificial intelligence bills. One would require political ads using artificial intelligence to acknowledge the use of AI. The other would protect Mississippians from having their names, images, and voices used without permission. Then, analysts Rebekah Staples and Brandon Jones look at the legislative calendar, the upcoming deadlines for bills to survive or die, and the process for passing the State’s annual budget.
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29 min - @ISSUE • School Choice Special Session ahead? • Infant Mortality Review Board • ABC Troubles • Opioid Settlement Funds • Rep. Robert Johnson interview
House Bill 2 is dead, but a special session on school choice may be ahead. Analysts Brandon Jones and Rebekah Staples join host Wilson Stribling to discuss the prospect of a special session and recall how former Governor Hailey Barbour used special sessions strategically.
Wilson also interviews House Minority Leader Robert Johnson (D-Natchez), getting the veteran lawmaker’s perspective on the current session. In the week’s news, we look at the proposed infant mortality review board, problems with the state’s Alcoholic Beverage Control system, and bills addressing the use of opioid settlement funds.
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29 min - @ISSUE • Sen. Jeremy England interview • Ballot Initiative • School Prayer • Immigration Enforcement • Abortion Drug Criminalization • School Attendance Officers • Literacy Intervention • Prison Health CareA major legislative deadline last week saw thousands of bills die while hundreds of others survived. Among those still alive are bills dealing with school prayer, immigration enforcement, abortion-inducing drugs, school attendance officers, literacy intervention, and prison health care. Senator Jeremy England (R-Van Cleave) and host Wilson Stribling discuss the challenges to reviving the ballot initiative in Mississippi. Roundtable regulars Rebekah Staples and Brandon Jones then join Wilson for a spirited debate about the pros and cons of the ballot initiative process.
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29 min
About @ISSUE
From the publisher's feed
Welcome to @ISSUE 2026! Host Wilson Stribling and political analyst Brandon Jones welcome new analyst Rebekah Staples to the @ISSUE team. Rebekah gives a baseball-themed explanation of the legislative…
process, then the team dives into the issues of school choice, the ballot initiative process, and concerns about federal budget cuts.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.